Exploring the effect of the Looking China Student Film Project on its participants

I wrote and presented a 22-page research paper at the annual symposium of the Academy for International Communication of Chinese Culture, November 26, 2016. The paper, titled "Exploring the Effect of the Looking China Youth Film Project on its Participants" analyzed data I collected from past participants in the Looking China Program and drew conclusions concerning the formation of a cultural image, and how the process of making a documentary film enhances certain observational skills. The paper was subsequently published in the academic journal, "International Communication of Chinese Culture," Beijing Normal University Press, China

Revictimization: Advancing Theory and Method

Revictimization, defined as victimization occurring at different points in time, has been found repeatedly in college, community, and clinical samples. Attempts to understand this relation have been theoretically and methodologically limited. Theoretically, most studies have considered only individual level characteristics such as personality traits, and methodologically, the variety of definitions and measures used makes comparisons difficult. This study investigated the effect of homelessness, an exosystem factor, as a moderator of the revictimization relation in a sample of 370 underserved women (191 in prison and 179 seeking healthcare at an urban, public hospital). A series of logistic regressions were conducted to predict adult physical and adult sexual victimization using four different definitions of child sexual abuse and one definition of child physical abuse. Main effects for child abuse, regardless of the definition used, incarceration status and homelessness on both adult physical and adult sexual victimization were consistently found. However, homelessness did not moderate the revictimization relation. The high reported rate of adult physical victimization may have prevented finding an interaction effect, as almost 82% of women reported this experience. Findings underscore the multitude of traumas experienced by this population and the need for primary prevention of child abuse and homelessness

Association between CMD signs and symptoms, oral parafunctions, race and sex, in 4–6-year-old African-American and Caucasian children

The associations between oral parafunctions, signs and symptoms of craniomandibular disorders (CMD), race, and sex were analysed in recordings from 203 4-6-year-old African-American and Caucasian children. Significant correlations were found between bruxism, nail biting, thumb sucking and most of the CMD signs and symptoms. There were also significant associations between most of the signs and symptoms and race, while significant association with sex was found only regarding headache, TMJ sounds and chewing pain. Significant associations were found between most CMD signs and TMJ sounds supporting the view that joint sound recordings have diagnostic value. There were also significant associations between the pain variables recorded by questionnaire and those recorded by palpation, which indicates that reliable data can be obtained by interviewing children as young as five. The results of this study support the concept that oral parafunctions have a significant role in the aetiology of CMD. The results also show that race and sex need to be considered when analysing the possible aetiological role of oral parafunctions in CMD. Longitudinal studies, beginning with low age groups are needed to better determine the role of childhood oral parafunctions in CMD aetiology.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75673/1/j.1365-2842.1995.tb00241.x.pd

Performance measurement : challenges for tomorrow

This paper demonstrates that the context within which performance measurement is used is changing. The key questions posed are: Is performance measurement ready for the emerging context? What are the gaps in our knowledge? and Which lines of enquiry do we need to pursue? A literature synthesis conducted by a team of multidisciplinary researchers charts the evolution of the performance-measurement literature and identifies that the literature largely follows the emerging business and global trends. The ensuing discussion introduces the currently emerging and predicted future trends and explores how current knowledge on performance measurement may deal with the emerging context. This results in identification of specific challenges for performance measurement within a holistic systems-based framework. The principle limitation of the paper is that it covers a broad literature base without in-depth analysis of a particular aspect of performance measurement. However, this weakness is also the strength of the paper. What is perhaps most significant is that there is a need for rethinking how we research the field of performance measurement by taking a holistic systems-based approach, recognizing the integrated and concurrent nature of challenges that the practitioners, and consequently the field, face

Looking for a “Now-Time” in Family Film Footage: Appropriating and Activating Archival Images in the Present

This article presents an ongoing project, Mneme‐Automaton/Memory‐Machine , which involves collaborative interventions with an existing body of amateur family film footage and written texts. As an integral part of engaging with this material, we identify our different relationships to it: one author as a direct descendant of its producers, the other with no personal connection to the collection. Although both of us are remote in time and space from the original contexts of its production, our intention is to identify a Benjaminian “now‐time” for the material to activate it in the present and render it visible and legible in new ways. In this article, we describe and appropriate selections of the film footage, thereby transforming it into an archive that evokes subjective and affective sensations and experiences that extend beyond the “historical index” of the source material

Implementation and effects of user participation in playground management: a comparative study of two Swedish municipalities

This paper describes and analyses how customer orientation strategies, with the focus on user participation, are implemented in playground management and their effects on managers’ attitudes and work with physical playgrounds. A comparative case study was conducted in two Swedish municipalities that involve users in different ways: through a manager-driven participation process and through informal user-initiated dialogue. The empirical material consisted of qualitative interviews with professionals in the management organisations and studies of local playgrounds. Implementation of strategies for user participation and tactical management activities appeared to be of importance. The manager-driven participation strategy was associated with a particularly positive attitude among managers, but also difficulties such as maintaining continuous dialogue with users. The small differences found in playground provision between the two municipalities give reason to question the physical effects of participation processes, and show the need for further research

Temporomandibular joint pathosis related to sex, age, and dentition in autopsy material

The purpose of this autopsy study was to test the hypotheses that temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthrosis is more common in women than in men, increases with age, and is more common in edentulous persons than in those with natural teeth. Two hundred forty-eight TMJs removed at autopsy from 224 fresh cadavers were investigated macroscopically with dissection or cryosectioning. Age was found to be a significant factor in prediction of TMJ arthrosis (p p p p < 0.001) between arthrosis, disk displacement, disk deformation, and disk perforation. There were no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of morphologic changes in the joints from persons with 10 or more natural teeth in each jaw compared with those from persons without natural teeth. The results of this study showed that TMJ arthrosis is more frequent in older than in younger persons. TMJ disk displacement generally appears necessary for the development of perforations. The findings of this study indicate that sex and dentition are not major factors for the development of TMJ pathosis in elderly individuals.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/31264/1/0000170.pd

Barriers to the sustainability of an intervention designed to improve patient engagement within NHS mental health rehabilitation units: a qualitative study nested within a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: We undertook a cluster randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a staff training intervention to improve patient engagement in activities in inpatient mental health rehabilitation units. Concurrently, we undertook a qualitative study to investigate the experiences of staff within the intervention units and the contextual issues that may have influenced the effectiveness of the intervention. METHOD: We conducted focus groups with staff working in the inpatient units that received the intervention, sampled using a maximum variation strategy. RESULTS: The intervention was accepted by staff. However, the skills gained, and changes to the unit's processes and structures that were agreed with the intervention team were not sustained after they left. The main reasons for this were a) external factors (economic recession, resource limitations); b) organisation level factors (lack of senior staff support; competing priorities); c) limitations of the intervention itself (length of intensive training period; reinforcement of skills). CONCLUSION: This study illustrates some of the inter-related factors which operate at different levels within and outside of NHS organisations that may impact on the success of complex interventions. These factors need to be considered when designing interventions to ensure adequate buy-in from senior staff. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN25898179 (Registered 23 April 2010)